In the Czech Republic, trade in counterfeits is thriving – each year goods worth almost 30 billion crowns enter the market. Authorities only intercept a fraction, while markets in Prague and border areas continue to act as hubs.
Trade in counterfeit products remains a structurally entrenched problem in the Czech Republic. According to a recent analysis by law firm Shubik & Partners, counterfeits now account for around 3.3 per cent of the total domestic retail market. Each year, goods worth nearly 30 billion crowns enter circulation illegally. Supervisory authorities, by contrast, manage to stop only a fraction: in 2024, counterfeit products worth 621 million crowns were seized.
The vast majority reaches consumers almost unhindered – particularly via markets in Prague and border regions, which have been operating for years without effective regulation. The consequences are significant: the state loses billions, consumers are exposed to safety risks, and legitimate businesses bear the economic damage. This conclusion was also reached today by the Trade and Services Section of the Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic (HK ČR).
Trade in counterfeits in figures (Source: Shubik & Partners)
- Value of counterfeit goods in the Czech Republic: CZK 28 billion annually
- Losses for public finances: CZK 13.7 billion annually
- Share of retail: 3.3%
- Counterfeits seized in 2024: CZK 621 million
Raids without effect – counterfeiters return within days
According to the Chamber of Commerce, purely repressive measures fall short. During a recent inspection at the Hatě market, customs officers seized around 4,500 counterfeits worth over 21 million crowns. Yet a follow-up visit just three days later revealed that 95 per cent of the stalls were offering counterfeit goods again.
This is enabled by a sophisticated system of straw men, onto whom rental contracts are transferred after inspections. Seized goods are replaced within a very short time – often, the markets themselves are part of the production chain.
Chamber of Commerce calls for clear rules – models exist in Europe
The Chamber of Commerce is calling for stricter rules to curb the illegal market, including mandatory identity checks, verifiable tenant data, documentation of stall history, sanctions for traders with repeatedly counterfeit goods, as well as a debate on cashless payments and EU bank accounts. Many of these measures are already standard in other EU countries, while in the Czech Republic tenants frequently change immediately after inspections.
According to experts, parts of the proposals already align with EU law. The Chamber of Commerce is ready to work with state authorities to develop a clear and fair regulatory framework but rejects blanket, ineffective regulations that would only create more bureaucracy.
